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Premise: Plastic bottles and other plastic waste is used to make recycled plastic lumber. It’s the quality o not getting rot, not absorbing water and resistant to insect damage that makes plastic lumber suitable or marine and outdoor applications.

Conclusion: So it is worth to replace traditional lumber in building projects except interior residential projects.

Correct answer must be something that supports the conclusion.

A. Residential homes built entirely with recycled plastic lumber are virtually immune to damage from flooding. – WRONG. It goes against the conclusion and supports the act that recycled plastic lumber is good for interior residential projects.

B. Increased rates of thermal expansion and contraction of plastic lumber can cause doorways constructed of this material to warp and either fail to close or fail to seal tightly. – CORRECT. The increased rate of thermal expansion and contraction would make plastic lumber unsuitable for the interior residential use. Safety concern of residents would be utmost priority in these projects.

C. Currently 25 percent of the trash that is in landfills is plastic that could be used to produce recycled plastic lumber. – WRONG. Irrelevant. Does not explain anything.

D. Because of its resistance characteristics, recycled plastic lumber does not need to be treated with chemicals, allowing homeowners to live in an interior space with lower levels of chemicals. – WRONG. Similar to A it also goes against the conclusion.

E. Seldom painted, plastic lumber comes in different colors that can be chosen by the consumer. – WRONG. Irrelevant. Does not explain anything, though assuming that it’s chemical-free it goes against the conclusion.

IMO Answer (B)
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IMO it's B because it clearly mentions a disadvantage of using recycled plastic lumber.

Recycled plastic lumber is a building material made from plastic bottles and other plastic waste. Unlike traditional lumber, it won't rot or absorb water, and it is highly resistant to insect damage, so it is well-suited for marine and outdoor applications. Recycled plastic lumber is worth considering as an alternative to traditional lumber for most building projects, with the exception of interior residential projects.

Which of the following, if true, most helps to explain the exception noted above?

B. Increased rates of thermal expansion and contraction of plastic lumber can cause doorways constructed of this material to warp and either fail to close or fail to seal tightly.
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We have to basically find an option that explains why plastic lumber is not good for residential interiors.
Option A in turn kind of strengthen that plastic lumber is good that too for building the entire residential homes.
Option B correctly explains why plastic lumber isn't a good choice for residential interiors as it may contract/expand depending on heat or cool temperature.
Option C doesnt state anything useful information as effective explanation.
Optios D & E doesn't explain why plastic lumber te not preferred but rather goes on to support the opposite.
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Only B states a reason why it shoudlnt be used for indoor applications.
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B. Nothing else is an obvious downside to interior application.
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Bunuel

Competition Mode Question



Recycled plastic lumber is a building material made from plastic bottles and other plastic waste. Unlike traditional lumber, it won't rot or absorb water, and it is highly resistant to insect damage, so it is well-suited for marine and outdoor applications. Recycled plastic lumber is worth considering as an alternative to traditional lumber for most building projects, with the exception of interior residential projects.

Which of the following, if true, most helps to explain the exception noted above?


A. Residential homes built entirely with recycled plastic lumber are virtually immune to damage from flooding.

B. Increased rates of thermal expansion and contraction of plastic lumber can cause doorways constructed of this material to warp and either fail to close or fail to seal tightly.

C. Currently 25 percent of the trash that is in landfills is plastic that could be used to produce recycled plastic lumber.

D. Because of its resistance characteristics, recycled plastic lumber does not need to be treated with chemicals, allowing homeowners to live in an interior space with lower levels of chemicals.

E. Seldom painted, plastic lumber comes in different colors that can be chosen by the consumer.

Official Explanation



Reading the question: We read the prompt, which is rich in fact and low in opinion. We have to explain an "exception." The exception, evidently, is "interior residential projects." The objectively best answer will have to do with the fact that this plastic lumber won't rot, won't absorb water, and is highly resistant to insect damage. We will look for explanations that are relevant directly or indirectly to this information.

Applying the filter: We don't see our expectation, but we can broaden and use a basic filter. The point is that we shouldn't use this houses. (A), (C), (D), and (E) all fail to hit that basic point, while (B) does. Basic relevance was sufficient, in this case.

The correct answer is (B).
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Option B is the correct one from my point of view because it indicates the reason why the plastic lumber studs for interior construction is not used.. (The reason is a thermal expansion which correspondingly deteriorates the interior walls and hence the structure will loose its strength).
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